The Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center is one of the most iconic holiday sights in New York, and every December it draws millions of people. There’s a big lighting ceremony each year (in 2025 it was on December 3), and the tree stays lit through mid-January. I’ve seen the tree plenty of times over the years, but I’ve never actually been to the lighting ceremony. It’s always incredibly crowded, and I prefer coming a few days later, when you can move around and actually enjoy it.
The prettiest view is from in front of the ice skating rink, where the tree is framed by the skaters and the Prometheus statue. If you want to get closer to the tree itself, walk around to the back along 49th or 50th Street. It’s usually a bit calmer there, and you really get a sense of just how massive it is.
The tree is typically a Norway spruce, usually somewhere between 70 and 100 feet tall, sourced from private landowners in the northeastern US. It’s decorated with around 50,000 LED lights and topped with the Swarovski crystal star that was added in 2018.
Yes, it’s touristy. But it’s also one of those New York things I don’t think you should skip. Some sights are popular because they’re genuinely worth seeing, and this is definitely one of them.
